Nancy,
Is this really Nancy? Your writing seems a little uncharacteristically erratic. Perhaps I've just not read enough of your posts, or you were rushed in your reply. In any case...
1. I'm a little unclear about your response. Could you repeat it another way.
2. You've probably heard the Bible referred to as a "work of editors." The canonical Bible is a compilation by men of Christian writings of the first few centuries after Christ and the Tanakh. A canonical text was required to unite the Christian faith and to guard against internal and external, political and doctrinal attacks.
3. I agree.
4. The copying done by the Jews is amazing! I take my hat off to such rigor and conscientiousness. The Christian tradition, though impressive, is not quite as impressive.
5. I think that a lot of the doctrinal ideas must be viewed in cultural context. Do you think women should be allowed in a church? Do you think women should be allowed to read the Bible? Do you think women should be allowed to interpret the Bible? Do you think women should be allowed in the clergy? &c.
OK... I question whether God has control of his Word when it is written, edited, and translated by men. In fact... don't men have free will? I think this single point could be the basis for a long and interesting discussion, in and of itself.
What I get out of reading the Bible is, indeed, personal. What I question is the interpretation by men that Bible should be taken literally. You say that the Bible must be taken literally or not at all. I disagree.
Divine inspiration is clear - inspiration by God. Divine inerrancy is the idea that the actions (e.g., writings) of men inspired by God are never wrong (e.g., without error, or inerrant). Divine inerrancy can be considered in weaker terms as just that God is never wrong, but I was not using it as such.
I suggest you buy a good dictionary. :-) I thought it was particularly ironic that you made this comment about the Decalogue: If it is hidden how can anyone trust it or know whats [sic] in it?
The Decalogue is the Ten Commandments.
Greg |
